You're never fully dressed without a knife
by Merthurfreak339
Summary: Based off of the 1982 Annie film. A few years after Annie leaves, the other girls from the gang are all adopted. Except for Kate and Pepper who gain a stronger bond than approved upon at the orphanage, but what happens when Miss Hannigan goes too far?
1. Chapter 1

Pepper sighed with annoyance as she scrubbed the floors for the millionth time. It was still so filthy and her hands and knee's were sore. Her eyes, half closed, she felt on the verge of passing out. She felt her eyes start to water, but she was far too tough to cry. She sighed, fifteen years old and she still had not been adopted. Many of the others had after Annie was taken in by those millionaires. What was so special about _Annie_ anyway? She was just an irritating ginger. What set her apart from everyone else? Was it her _voice_? Was it her _charm_? There were far more adorable and far better singers in the orphanage. Annie just happened to be lucky.

Although, after she was adopted, followed by Molly and a few other girls from the usual crowd, the singing stopped. The orphanage was silent, except for the usual crying and groans. How could annie leave them behind like this? Pepper scrubbed harder, her hands numb. She growled, letting out a moan of displeasure. She was so tired and just wanted a moment to relax. She wanted out of this damn orphanage, but nobody wanted her and they never would. They only wanted the cute and sweet little girls. Not grouchy old Pepper.

After an hour, Pepper began to cry for the first time in what seemed like years. She wasn't a crier, but she couldn't hold it in any longer. She bit her bottem lip and tried silencing her sobs, scrubbing harder and harder until a softer hand stopped her own. Pepper shakilly looked up and met the brown eyes of Kate.

The girl removed the dirty rag from Pepper's blistered hand and examined it with concern. Pepper quickly pulled it away. She wasn't about to look like a weakling in front of anyone. _Especially Kate_. Kate was the only one who had ever understood her in the orphanage. She was the only one that didn't view her as some monster or bully. Kate knew that there was more to Pepper and for that, she was grateful. Not that she would show it.

"I don't need your help, you hear?" Pepper said, trying to hide her tears.

"Pepper, I can help you." Kate responded, her tone gently. _' what it is.'_ Thought Pepper bitterly.

"Come off it, Girly." More tears streamed down Pepper's face and she was a bit frightened and comforted when Kate's soft hand brushed them away. Pepper pulled away. "Go away."

"No..." Kate pulled Pepper into her arms and refused to let go until Pepper gave up her struggled and sobbed onto her shoulder.

It felt so nice to know that someone was there and this was the first time that Pepper felt that sensation. She gripped one of Kate's dark braids, softly in her hand and silently prayed that she could hold on to the moment forever. This was the first time in her life, or at least that she could remember, being held in someone's arms.

"kate...I miss the singing..." Pepper admitted. "That we all used to do."

"So do I." Kate whispered, a tear of her own ran down her nose. "I miss it a lot."

The singing was the only thing that kept Pepper going in that place. Without it, she felt lost. It was like, the music was her only shred of hope and without it, she knew that she stood no chance of ever having a true home. It was gone, though. Without Annie or Molly, nobody seemed able to get the music out anymore. All hope was lost.

Pepper allowed Kate to pull her closer, a feeling of comfort arousing within her. She looked into the girls brown eyes and couldn't stop the small smile spreading across her face. Out of all the girls at that orphanage, Kate was the only one who actually seemed to be a real friend. Really, she was the only person that Pepper had. The two had arrived at the orphanage at around the same time and both were growing older, niether seeming to ever have hopes of adoption.

"Thanks." Pepper mumbled to Kate, unsure of what to really say. She looked at her hands awkwardly, not used to thanking people.

"You're welcome." Kate responded in a low voice. She sighed and stood up, offering her hand to Pepper. "Come on. Lets go to bed. We'll finish this tomorrow."

"No, Miss Hannigan'll throw a fit and I'm in no shape for a beating." Pepper declined, "You go to sleep. I'll finish this."

"No. I'll do it." Kate declined, " YOU go sleep."

Pepper gave kate a small glare. "Kate, I said to GO." That's when Kate did something that surprised her. She started to sing.

_"__Maybe far away... Or maybe real nearby...He may be pouring her coffee, She may be straightning his tie! Maybe in a house... All hidden by a hill... She's sitting playing piano, He's sitting paying a bill!" _Kate's elegant voice let a familiar warmth barge back into Pepper's heart in a way that Pepper didn't know was possible. She tried to look annoied, but wasn't able to manage it for very long.

_"Betcha they're young Betcha they're smart, Bet they collect things like ashtrays, and art!"_ Pepper began to sing with a grin at Kate. Her smile began to falter at the next line as she thought of the reality of the situation. Her parents weren't that way at all. They were probably dead or off on the streets, involving themselves with drugs or something. "_Betcha they're good - Why shouldn't they be? Their only mistake was giving up me!"  
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_"So maybe now it's time, and maybe when I wake, They'll be there calling me "Baby"... Maybe." _Kate sang with all of her heart, making Pepper feel the old joy that she managed to feel in her younger years tha she had hidden so well. The two grinned ear to ear at one another, singing simultaniously._ "Betcha he reads,Betcha she sews!" Kate grabbed her signature braids and twirled them as she used to as a child, her smile, not quavering at all as she sang the line, "Maybe she's made me a closet of clothes!_

_"Maybe they're strictAs straight as a line..." _Pepper sang, raising an eyebrow at Kate and crossing her arms. She would never be able to handle that...would she? Pepper wasn't one for rules, but when Kate sang the next line, she realized that maybe she could. _"Don't really careAs long as they're mine!" _

The girls smiled and sang out the last line together, united in their song. Pepper knew that if she couldn't count on anyone else, Kate was there for her. Her only real friend, but that was enough for her._ "So maybe now this prayer's...The last one of it's kind... Won't you please come get your "Baby"?...Maybe..."_


	2. Chapter 2

The drone of groaning girls awoke Pepper the next morning and she knew that it would be followed by the dreadful sound of Miss Hannigan's voice. The woman never failed to make the girls lives miserable. It was hopeless to even try taking her down again.

Pepper yawned, rubbing her tired eyes as she slipped into her work cloths. She scanned the room for Kate, who looked just as tired as she did, but a little more optimistic. Kate had always had a brighter outlook on things. Pepper couldn't, though. She couldn't help but to see the bad things in life.

"Good morning, Pepper." Kate said, striding over to her. Pepper gave her a curt nod in response, unsure of what to say to her. She wasn't sure why, but after their song the night before, she was seeing Kate in a whole new light. She felt such a good vibe about her. They had definitely bonded. Was that really all it took to make Pepper feel better? A little song? Music really could do wonders.

"So….Wanna help me with the mopping?" Kate asked, "I know your hands must be so sore from last night's scrubbing. Mopping is loads easier."

"Um, okay, sure…I guess." Pepper shrugged carelessly.

"Great!" Kate smiled. The two headed over to the mopping buckets that were already prepared thanks to a fellow girl named Sheila.

"I heard that Margret might get adopted." Kate said as she began to mop.

"Oh, good for her." Pepper responded sarcastically. She hated hearing about those who were more fortunate enough to actually get adopted.

"Oh, come on. It's great news!"

"So, she's a cute little girl that has hope for a good future. Why rub it in?" Pepper dunked her mop in the soapy water, drowning it along with the remains of her decent mood.

"You have hope for a future." Kate reminded her, "Why do you always assume that nobody would want to adopt you?"

Pepper had only heard Miss Hannigan shout the cold fact to her for her entire existence. That was why. Besides, she wasn't an idiot. She knew that she wasn't wanted and would never be. Her attitude killed any chance of that.

"I haven't been adopted yet, have I?" Pepper asked in a careless tone as she mopped the floor. Kate sighed and gave her a small smile.

"Well, I'm sure you will someday." She replied_. "The sun will come out…"_

"No. Don't start singing that ruddy song. I'm not in the mood."

Kate simply giggled a little and playfully got a handful of the soppy water in her hand and flicked it in Pepper's direction. Pepper was astounded and a little confused at first. Why would she do that? Oh, right, she was playing. Pepper wasn't used to jokes or games. She and Kate were the eldest in the group home, so they had to act somewhat civilized.

"Oh how _grown up_." Pepper said with annoyance, but she couldn't fight the grin forming onto her face.

After finishing the mopping, the two stuck together with the other chores as well. Day after day, they stood by one another's sides. Pepper was becoming so used to the positive company that Kate provided for her that now it would seem completely foreign to her if she didn't have the girl around. She wondered if Kate enjoyed being around her as much. She seemed to.

The singing was more common around the orphanage, as well. Some of the younger girls heard Pepper and Kate's harmonic tones chiming together and began to sing a few of their own. Little to say, Miss Hannigan was not pleased in the slightest.


End file.
